Opening up the walled garden of data — using public data to create new revenue streams Too many (big) data sets live in walled gardens and thus limit innovation to a few people. Creating open data sets levels the playing field and allows many people to participate in value creation in the music industry. A new value proposition to the music tech community promises to shake up the discovery and recommendation space. Robert Kaye, Founder, Musicbrainz and Acousticbrainz

1. AcousticBrainz
Opening up another walled garden of data
Robert Kaye
MetaBrainz Foundation Inc.
@MayhemBCN

2. What is AcousticBrainz?
MusicBrainz AcousticBrainz
Essentia
Essentia
Essentia

3. Low-level data
The low level data consists of:
● Loudness, complexity, dissonance
● Energy, spectral characteristics
● Rhythm, BPM
● Scale, Key
● Zero crossings
● Other DSP voodoo

4. High-level data
The high-level data consists of:
● Tonal, timbre, vocals/instrumental, gender
● Moods: Electronic, party, aggressive, happy,
sad, relaxed.
● Mirex moods.
● Genres: Rosamerica, Dortmund, Tzanetakis
& electronica
● ISMIR rhythm (ballroom)

5. Feedback loop
AcousticBrainz
Hackers,
researchers,
entrepreneurs
data
code, issues
Geeks use the AcousticBrainz data…
… and will find issues.
Geeks will come up with better ways of doing things…
… and will share code with AcousticBrainz.
AcousticBrainz will incorporate the best changes …
… and run the improved code over the data.
Geeks use the new and improved data…
… and will find more issues.

6. Raising the bar on discovery
1. Disrupt
2. Raise the discovery bar
3. Focus on algorithms, not data
4. Simplify complex systems
5. Compelling user interfaces
6. Give control to the user

7. Leveling the playing field
1. Disrupt the walled gardens
2. Remove discovery bias
3. Create new interoperable tools
4. Crowd source discovery
5. Improve artist discovery
6. Profit! (for the little bands)
Dammit Jim, I’m an engineer,
not a graphic designer!

8. Help!
To make AcousticBrainz work,
we need your help.
Please:
1. Tag your music with Picard
2. Run AcousticBrainz on your collection

9. Questions?
If you have questions, tweet them to me:
@MayhemBCN
( mayhem in barcelona )
I’ll have responses during the Q&A